Winning Every Day [Paperback]

Shannon Miller (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 11, 1998

Shannon Miller, the most decorated gymnast in American history, has won sixteen medals and is one of the sports world's most positive role models.  Yet none of it would have happened if a little girl from Oklahoma hadn't dared to dream .  .  .  and followed up on that dream with hard work, commitment, and a firm belief in herself.

"I've learned to be disciplined and organized in order to balance gymnastics, college, and a social life," says Shannon.  But how does she do it?  And is that kind of focus within your reach?  Yes!  With friendly, upbeat advice, Shannon shares how she succeeds in being a winner both inside and outside the gym.  Inspiring sections in Winning Every Day include:

Getting motivated
Setting goals
Eating healthy (with recipes!)
Handling stress
Finding spiritual fulfillment
Achieving your dreams

and much more, including personal gymnastics anecdotes, diary excerpts, and full-color photos from Shannon's private collection.  Winning Every Day - Shannon Miller's down-to-earth approach to getting the most out of life - will make you a winner too!

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

With 16 Olympic and World Championship medals to her credit, gymnast Miller is a certifiable winner. With this inspirational lifestyle guide, she aims to show other young people how to meet "the challenges, tough times, and even the defeats" with an attitude that will take them to the top of their game, "both inside and outside the gym." Through diary entries and capsules on everything from "why gymnastics" to "the top ten ways I handle stress" to "the top four things that could be stressfulAif I let them," Miller states what makes her tick and what helped her achieve her Olympic goals. She sets forth her training regime and diet, describes her feelings during key competitions (win or lose) and also professes her strong faith in God. Several of "Shannon's Golden Rules" are sprinkled throughout, for example, "God is your only coach. He directs your every move." Though she sometimes protests too much ("The truth is that none of my fellow American gymnasts is a poor sport"), the overwhelmingly positive tone of this volume is contagious. An array of color photosAfeaturing both competition and leisure shotsAcomplete Miller's portrait. All ages.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Grade 5 Up-An advice and how-I-did-it book by an Olympic gold-medal gymnast. Each of the 11 chapters begins with a diary entry loosely related to the topics under discussion. However, it is unclear whether the entries were written on the date cited or have been composed in retrospect as a literary technique. Among the subjects discussed are the athlete's early life and training, stress, family and peer relationships, and the importance of God and her Christian Scientist beliefs. Chapters end with "Shannon's Advice" (positive-thinking suggestions) and "Shannon's Golden Rule." Miller comes across as a hard-working, focused, talented young woman who wants to share her experiences, and she writes in a casual, colloquial style. Full-color photos appear frequently throughout. This book will appeal most to gymnasts, potential gymnasts, and Shannon Miller fans, but young people needing self-help, attitude-adjustment materials will find positive suggestions to implement.
Lois McCulley, Wichita Falls High School, TX
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 12 and up
  
• Paperback: 144 pages
• Publisher: Bantam Books for Young Readers (May 11, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0553097768
• ISBN-13: 978-0553097764
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 8.2 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,161,049 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #91 in Books > Teens > Biographies

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Wonderful Book!, February 12, 2003

By 

StarGymnast (California, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Winning Every Day (Paperback)

"Winning Every Day" is a wonderful, well-written book. This book combines an autobiography of Shannon Miller with lessons and motivators that will help you do better in gymnastics and will make your life happier and healthier. From reading this book, you really feel like you know Shannon Miller. It's also filled with tons of amazing pictures of Shannon, family members, gymnasts, and much more. Some things this book covers include eating healthy-this chapter had wonderful recipies that Shannon enjoys herself, fear and pain, stress and what to do about it, acheiving dreams in and out of gymnastics, setting goals, competition, faith, and much more. Shannon also shares many secrets that explain how she got to the top in gymnastics and how she was able to stay successful in the sport for so long. A wonderful book for all gymnasts, this book will motivate you and help you become a better gymnast.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good, not great..., December 20, 2000

By 

Christopher J. Martin (Alexandria, VA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Winning Every Day (Paperback)

This book's a good one, but not a great book at all. Shannon does come across as a little too perfect, and I simply have trouble believing that the diary entries were written exactly the way they're printed in the book. Although, Shannon does seem like a perfectionist (even though she says she's not) maybe they were written that way, it just seems a little "too perfect" and I believe the entries were either heavily edited or parts added in for the book. I think this book could be very helpful to younger gymnasts though, and I suspect Shannon wrote it for that very purpose and not to just tell people about her life. While I don't think the autobiographical stuff is truly worth reading, the statements she makes about time management etc., would definately be helpful to any young person looking for a way to be able to balance any activity they do along with school and family. After all, she's managed to balance a great challenge, going to school and being a world class Olympic athlete at the same time, and care a great deal about both. I don't put much of a criticism on Shannon for pretty much tooting her own horn in the book, it's hers, she should be able to talk about getting good grades as well as being a great athlete as much as she wants. Every athlete/politican/regular person who's ever written an autobiography does the same thing, in some ways at least. By doing so I believe it gives a better background into her message to young athletes about time management etc., being necessary things to do if you truly want to succeed at more than one thing at a time that require as much effort as school and being a world class gymnast. Shannon and her co author seem to both realize that it's not enough for her to write that her system works, but she's also got to show young athletes that it works, and the proof is in those grades and Olympic medals. Just writing, "My system works, use it" won't sell very far with young people. However, if you want to read a truly good book about Shannon the person and not just what's really a "motivational" book, I'd recommend Shannon's mother's book over this one.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Gold medal book, August 25, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Winning Every Day (Paperback)

This was a great book. Tons of cool pictures of Shannon, her family and her friends. Any fan of Shannon or gymnastic fan should pick this up.